Stem cell therapy

Does your dog or cat suffer from arthritis, hip dysplasia or ligament/cartilage damage? These conditions no longer have to cause pain…

Stem Cell Therapy is a progressive, all-natural and new procedure that provides an option other than pain medications, joint supplements and therapeutic diets. Now available at Petcare for the first time in the UK, this treatment uses adult fat stem cells in place of the controversial embryonic stem cells of the past. Arthritic dogs show restored mobility, increased flexibility and more youthful activity in just three to six weeks. In many cases this allows us to reduce any arthritis medication. In rare cases, and on a case by case basis, stem cell therapy is also available for kidney disease and has been used in intractable cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and severe skin disease.

Petcare owner and veterinary surgeon, Stewart Halperin BVMS MRCVS recently carried out ground-breaking veterinary surgery in London, performing the UK’s first ever adipose derived stem cell transplants on two dogs, previously considered untreatable by conventional veterinary medicine. The first dog had severe arthritis in both hips, the other congenital kidney disease.The leading world expert, Dr Mike Hutchinson, flew from the US to train Mr Halperin and his team at Petcare practice, St Helen’s Gardens in London. Dr Hutchinson has carried out over 300 procedures in the US with extraordinary results in the area of canine arthritis. For information and case suitability for your dog or cat, please contact Mr Halperin directly on stewart@stemcellvet.co.uk

What is Adipose Stem Cell Therapy?

Adipose Stem Cell Therapy is a proven science. Stem cells are the basic building blocks of life, the cells upon which tissue grows and bodies are built. Animals have billions of adult stem cells lying dormant within their bodies. The most potent and plentiful stem cells are located in the fat or adipose tissue. The dormant stem cells are activated with MediVet-America’s patented LED technology. The activated stem cells are then injected into the treatment area of the patient and are automatically attracted to damaged tissue and begin repairing and rebuilding. Since they are the patient’s own cells, there is no concern about rejection.

What exactly are stem cells?

Stem cells are the body’s repair cells. They have the ability to divide and differentiate into many different types of cells, based on where they are needed throughout the body. Stem cells can divide and turn into tissues such as skin, fat, muscle, bone, cartilage, and nerve. They even possess the ability to replicate into organs such as the heart, liver, intestines, and pancreas.

What are the different types of stem cells?

There are two basic types of stem cells; embryonic and somatic (adult). Embryonic stem cells are found in the placenta and embryo. The second type of stem cell is the adult stem cell. Adult stem cells are found in the bone marrow, adipose tissue (fat), skin, liver, blood vessels and neurons. Compared to embryonic stem cells, there are no moral or ethical concerns in harvesting these fat derived cells, activating them, and reintroducing them back to the patient in areas where healing and regeneration is needed.

Why are cells taken from adipose (fat) tissue?

Adult stem cells are highly concentrated in the fat tissue. There are 50 to 1,000 times more stem cells in the fat than the bone marrow. At this concentration, it is not necessary to culture the stem cells to acquire the necessary cell numbers for healing. as such high numbers of cells are already present. The stem cells are contained within a pool of cells in the fat called the Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF).

What can the stem cells be used for?

Adult stem cells are capable of dividing into many different cell types so they can be used as a treatment for joint injuries, ligament and tendon damage, and fractured bones. Research and clinical trials currently support the use of stem cells in these conditions. Ongoing research is targeting other areas of the body for treatment and the preliminary results are very encouraging.

When will I see results?

While we know every animal is different and there are no guarantees, we have seen positive clinical improvement in 85% of the arthritic cases treated with stem cell therapy, now performed nationwide in the US and in the early case here in the UK. Some owners have even reported seeing a difference in as little as a week. While quick results are possible, we expect you to begin seeing improvement within the first 90 days following treatment. Severe arthritis may require multiple injections, so we bank harvested cells for future use.

Is this procedure safe?

As with any procedure that involves anesthesia, there is always a risk. However, the stem cells are coming from your pet and are being re-administered back to your pet so there is no risk of an allergic reaction. Rarely there might be a mild immune reaction in the injected joint that should subside within a day or two.